Fog cancels flights from Vancouver Island

Flights to Vancouver International Airport from much of Vancouver Island have been cancelled due to dense fog blanketing the eastern Island.

Environment Canada issued a fog advisory for east Vancouver Island from Duncan to Campbell River early Friday morning

The advisory states there is “near zero visibility” in the fog. It goes on to say the fog will likely persist through the afternoon and then become patchy Saturday afternoon.

A YVR spokesperson said that the airport was seeing “some delays due to the weather,” but that passengers should look on the website for specific flight information.

Many flights from the Comox Valley and Qualicum Beach have been cancelled.

As of noon Friday, Air Canada has cancelled all of its flights departing from YQQ, and Westjet has cancelled all of its morning departures and arrivals from Calgary to the airport.

Both KD Air and Orca Airways fly in and out of Qualicum Beach Airport.

A worker with KD Air said no flights left or came in to Qualicum Beach Airport on Thursday, Dec. 7, and as of 11 a.m. Friday morning no KD Air flights had left the airport.

Orca Airways had its first flight since Wednesday leave Qualicum Beach Airport Friday. The flight was at 10:30 a.m. Friday, but Orca Airways isn’t sure any other flights will be leaving or coming into Qualicum Beach Airport.

Flights have also been cancelled out of Victoria International Airport.

Ken Gallant, director of operations at Victoria Airport Authority, said there were five cancellations coming out of Victoria, two cancellations coming into Victoria because of the fog. Gallant said most of the flights were Calgary- and Edmonton-bound flights. There were also several delays.

Gallant said the fog will dissipate after lunchtime.

While the fog hasn’t affected BC Ferries’ scheduled sailings, thick fog has continued to blanket the Georgia Strait: